I purchased my 2011 MINI last spring off the lot. It's a good build and I enjoy it very much, but I have always wanted a JCW. I've been playing with the configurator and talking to dealerships and have a build that is pretty well spec'd out with all kinds of doo-dads and gizmos that I've always wanted.

Now i have to decide:

Keep my 2011 and upgrade it and deal with it the way it is, or get the car I really want. Obviously payments go up and I start back over with a loan, but man do I want it...

Now, I can upgrade the 11 with the JCW kit too. This is direct out-of-pocket money on the kit, and I'm not sure if it's worth it without the other goodies that you get with a 12 JCW.

 

You'll never be 100% happy with an upgrade mod. If you can float your dream JCW, get it!!! It's now, or later. You have only one very short life and it's only money (you can always make more).

...my 2 quid...

Cheers... M

 

if you want it get it, otherwise you will look back on it later and after the fun of the kit has worn off.

 

Sort of wish I sprang for the JCW, but I also wish I came home with the 930 turbo I looked at as well.

Always going to want one better. Enjoy what you have or sell it and go for a real sports car.

 

I really miss my Z4M, but there isn't anything that strikes my fancy like that nowadays.

 

That was an awesome car, wish they still made a purely hardtop version as opposed to the convertible.

I would prefer to own a JCW, but for thousands extra in MSRP is the 27 extra HP worth it? It's a MINI, not a car that is exactly all about HP. Now that the body kit comes standard its more of a value. However, I wish it was more hardcore along the lines of a Renaultsport R26.R.

If it was my money I'd wait until the next JCW comes out and go for that one if it looks good.

 

You could always save some money and buy mine!

 

You had a Z4 M? I am currently looking to buy one myself, an M Coupe actually. Great car. Why did you get rid of it? Any problems with it? I don't plan on getting rid of my JCW!

 

Divorce dictated financial re-arrangement . I loved it though. If you get it used, make sure to get a run down of service at the BMW dealer, lots of people skipped the 1,200 mile required service.

 

I joined these boards one week too late or else I would've scooped yours up. Sorry.

 

Go get the Factory JCW. You won't be sorry. You already know you like Mini's so you will end up with a car you will probably keep for ever.

Just think of all of the $$$ you will spend on your car and still not have what you wanted in the first place.

Just get what you want as well as the color you want and as soon as you drive it you will be in total love.

Personally I would Trade in the 2011 and pay the difference on a car that I want instead of sinking a lot of money on modifying my car and still be unhappy with it.

Just think of all the fun you will have waiting for it to come in on the big boat from England.

 

+1 for go Factory JCW.

It's what I did. It was the extra power, brakes, body, and warranty. I loved my 06 but I always wanted to up things to the next level but didn't want to spend the money for the parts, labor, and worry about breaking something or not having things warranted..

 

Just curious, but do all factory JCWs come with the Brembo brakes? I thought that they were an option, just as the JCW aero kit used to be.

Also, there is no worry with the JCW kit as far as warranty issues.

 

Thanks for the tip. Any M coupe I decide on will get a thorough look over by my mechanic. Looking for a 2008 with less than 20,000 miles. So far all of the ones closest to me have been black. Not a fan of that car in black. Looking for either a white, silver or grey. Loved that fast back look ever since they came out and don't like the look or price of the new ones.

 

Yes, all factory JCW's (since 2009) have come standard with the Brembos.

 

I am going to present a different view. I would love to have the JCW, but due to health reasons , would never be able to shift the car. I opted for the S with the tuning kit, and my Clubman runs pretty fast for me. Sometimes she scares the begebies out of me with how quickly she can go. I assume your MCS is a manual, but I think the tuning kit is weel woth it as well. If they ever make the JCW as an automatic (not likely) I would be first in line.

 

I'm with you about the automatic transmission. I have degeneration in my hip & leg and at times have a hard time in traffic with my six speed manual.

Sometime in the future I will probably have to get an automatic "S" and have the JCW kit installed. One problem is that when you order the JCW kit installed at the factory you will lose the paddle shifters.

You would also have to spend big bucks for the JCW performance brake kit. It is not the Brembo but from what I have been reading on these forums the Mini JCW brake kit is very good.

It will be a very expensive Mini "S" and still not a factory JCW but it will have to do.

You would think one of the aftermarket venders would have a nice beefed up automatic transmission for the factory JCW.

 

You already have a car you like right? No problems with it so far?

Unless they are giving you a KILLER trade in deal you are gonna lose a ton of dough to go to a slightly better version of the same exact car you already have.

How often are you REALLY going to be taking advantage of all the extras you would be getting in the new car versus the one you have?

I'd have a hard time deciding myself, but the dollar value of the equation would probably decide it for me. I almost did the same thing with my car in 2009...crunched the numbers and realized i'd rather be done having a car payment sooner, instead of starting all over and be paying for longer on what wasn't THAT huge of an upgrade in my mind.


It's easy for people to tell you to get a new car when it's not their money. (no offense intended to anyone in this thread)

 

Has anyone dyno'ed a car with the 2011+ JCW tuning kit?

 

Right now you will get more for your trade then if you suffer with it for another year or two.

Just be sure you order your new JCW with everything you want on it.
******************Remember************************ ***
The money you will spend to have the JCW stuff installed on your car is expensive and will cost you almost as much as your trade in difference.

The Factory JCW is a unique Mini with the engine "Made in Germany" and all of the stuff the factory adds to it such as Brembo brakes, fat sway bars, beefed up transmission, larger turbo, Challenger 17 inch wheels, along with many other items.

You only live once so you need to enjoy yourself while you can.

 

I'm actually waiting for my S to hit USA soil. I was in your position a couple months ago. Should I get the JCW or an optioned out S? If I went with my dream JCW, I would have spent an extra 9K over the fully optioned out S I ended up getting. I decided to go with the S because you can always upgrade. Yes the JCW engine from the factory is definitely a monster in its own class. But with the amount of money I saved, I could easily surpass the 208hp and the suspension of the JCW with upgrades later. If you have the money, by all means do it. I just wanted to keep my car payments lower so I could pay off the car faster. Your choice. In the vein of ColinMc, it definitely is easier for me to tell you to get a new car when it's not my money. Just my 2 cents.

 

Just wanted to point out you didn't lose anything suspension-wise by foregoing the JCW - from the factory it has the same suspension as any other MINI. The JCW suspension is dealer-installed for all of them. (Crazy, I know)

 

Hatchback: base price

just a mini = $20,200

Cooper "S" = $23,800

Factory JCW = $30,600

Coupe: base price

just a coupe = $22,000

Coupe "S" = $25,300

factory JCW coupe = $31,900

The factory JCW is $6,800.00 more then a Cooper "S"

The factort JCW coupe is $6,600.00 more then the "S"

The price on any of these cars go way up when you start adding accessories.
******************BUT***************************** ******

There is no way you will save any $$$$ trying to make any other Mini perform like a JCW for less then the $6,800 or $6,600 for a real JCW.

Check out what the dealer installed JCW brake package alone will cost installed not counting the stage 1 kit.

As far as suspension goes:: All Factory JCW's do come with larger front & rear sway bars installed at the factory.

I opted for the "SPORT SUSPENSION" on mine and it is excellent. It was a $500.00 option. I had the dealer throw in my JCW strut bar, and Floor mats at no charge as well as a John Cooper Works baseball cap.



I did purchase and have the dealer install driving lights for a cost of about $700.00 and I bought the 6 year service contract for $1,200 (Everything else I needed such as air conditioning, and such are standard .

I have 23,000 plus miles on my car with not a single problem. for the $29,700 I paid for it. I have the best most fun car I have ever owned. If you decide you want a JCW I do not think you will be happy modifying a Mini "S" . There is no car like a Mini Cooper JCW.

 

I think you might have missed a zero or two...

6800 and 6600 seem to be the difference between the S and the JCW.

gary

 

I guess I should proof read my stuff better, I usually mess up the spelling the most,

But you still can't modify a Cooper "S" to be a JCW for the $6,800 difference.

Anyway why would you want to buy the "S" and spend a bunch of $$$$ to modify it? A Mini "S" is a great car the way it is as well as a Just-A-Mini

I will need to get an automatic transmission Mini in the future and will be forced to get the "S" and because I am what I am will have to put the JCW stuff on it. I will still not be as satisfied as I am with my JCW though.